Management Profiles: Corporate & U.S. Markets
Kevin Cavanaugh - President & CEO
If it were not for his earlier role as a certified golf course superintendent, Kevin would not be in the position he is today. The knowledge he gained as a superintendent helped him understand the complexities of managing turfgrass and the myriad of issues a superintendent deals with every day - essential tools for helping him guide turf professionals today.
After graduating from college, Kevin was selected to serve on the turf maintenance team at Augusta National. From there, he served as the superintendent at several courses where he learned to manage every aspect of a golf course. His technical expertise caught the eye of Floratine management and he was asked to join them first as a distributor in South Carolina, then subsequently as the vice president of sales and technical consultant in 2003.
Working under the mentorship of Floratine founder Bill Byrnes and expert chemist Travis Jones, Kevin used his turf knowledge to help superintendents manage - even prevent - turf issues through the use of Floratine's innovative and proprietary turf nutrition products. And in 2007, when the chance to purchase Floratine became available, Kevin seized the opportunity. Under his direction, the company has experienced double-digit growth with business coming from all corners of the globe.
From golf course superintendent to business owner, Kevin is most proud of his service to the superintendents he has worked with while at Floratine.
Mike Cavanaugh - Executive Vice President & COO
Mike joined Floratine in 2007 as an equity owner and he is very familiar with companies dedicated to science-driven technology and customer-centric solutions.
Having earned a marketing degree from Penn State University and an M.B.A. from New York University, Mike spent the last 12 years working in a variety of sales, marketing and training roles in the pharmaceutical industry. Most recently, he worked in an executive role for the start-up biotech OraPharma, where he led both the marketing and sales teams. The company's early success caught the attention of healthcare giant Johnson and Johnson, which purchased OraPharma for over $100 million in 2003.
In the earliest stages of his career, Mike served as a Captain of U.S. Marines, where he was a pilot in Attack Helicopter Squadron 267.
Mike is an avid golfer, having played competitively in high school and his freshman year at Penn State.
Tim Cartwright- Vice President, Technical Services
Tim joined Floratine in November 1999 as a chemist responsible for quality assurance, new product development and operations management. Tim was instrumental in developing and/or improving the formulations for some of Floratine’s most popular products to include Protesyn, Trical, Turgor, Floradox Pro, Defense Man, and Quad K.
In 2004 and 2005, Tim’s responsibilities expanded as he served as the Production Manager; This experience has proved invaluable to Floratine as it has enabled him to link the product concept to production needs and quality control. Additionally, when Floratine expanded its sales to the Asia-Pacific region Tim assisted Paul Dugmore with the development and technical service needs for this region which is a strong, growing market for Floratine.
Tim received his B.S in Chemical Engineering from Tennessee Tech in 1984 and an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Lawrence University in 1986. The first nine years of his career was spent in the pulp & paper industry followed by two years in the chemical industry. Tim believes that no prior experience in the golf industry was an advantage to him as it allowed him to think freely with little to sway his agronomic education or interfere with the design of innovative products.
Todd Gilmour - Regional Technical Manager
His love for the game prompted Todd to pursue a career close to the golf industry. First introduced to agronomy by his father, Todd only considered the career path after comprehending its complexity. Upon realizing agronomy was the perfect combination of science, nature and golf, it quickly became his passion.
Immediately after college - through a connection with European mastermind Jimmy Kidd - Todd landed the job of superintendent at Nanea Golf Club in Hawaii. Thanks to a course renovation, the job was, at times, overwhelming, but Todd quickly learned the art of negotiating and forecasting budgets, ultimately achieving the successful grow-in of 130 acres of seashore paspalum - and he did it all at age 23!
Four years later, Todd rejoined his hometown course, Stonebridge Meadows, where he first started out as a green keeper. It was here, not having the constant excitement associated with a renovation, that Todd gained a deeper understanding of the everyday frustrations affecting superintendents.
His desire to help fellow superintendents prompted him to accept a position with Floratine. By providing superintendents with tools to improve and control turf fertility, he hopes to bridge the gap between turf professional and vendor. Most of all, he's hoping to make the life of a superintendent a tad bit easier.
Fully aware of the benefits of being a knowledgeable vendor to superintendent customers, Todd is an expert of soil science and agronomy and can speak to a wide range of turf challenges facing superintendents at courses with varying geographies and budgets.
Jeff Knapp, Vice President of Sales, North America
Jeff joins Floratine with 10 years of Floratine sales and distribution management experience, and a combined total of over 28 years of sales and sales management experience.
Jeff started his career with Floratine with Ohio Turf Consultants where he earned Rookie of the Year and Sales Representative of the Year awards. Jeff bought OTC in 2005 and formed Midwest Turf Consultants with Eric Groth in 2005. Their distributorship produced several Rookies of the Year and Sales Consultants of the Year, in addition to winning the Distributor of the Year Award this past year.
Jeff graduated from Kent State University, where he played varsity hockey, with a BBA in Marketing and has earned a black belt in Isshinryu karate and stills play competitive hockey today.
Paul Dugmore - Asia Pacific Business Development and Technical Advisor
Paul joined Floratine in 2004 with the responsibility of introducing Floratine into the Asia Pacific region. Prior to joining Floratine, he served as the first apprentice at South Lakes GC, South Australia in 1983 and gained his Greenkeeping Certificate from Brookway Park School of Horticulture in Adelaide. Keen to gain experience on other facilities, he moved to the east coast of Australia and worked on several golf courses that held nationally televised tournaments before he moved into golf course construction. In early 1995 Paul made the move into SE Asia. From 1995 until 2004 he worked on golf projects throughout Indonesia, China, Egypt and the USA, before heading to Guam, Micronesia. His responsibilities with Floratine include locating new distributors while providing technical and business support to current distributors and their customers. His travels across the region have gained him valuable knowledge on the main issues that turf managers face daily throughout the Asia Pacific region. Although Paul does not get to play much golf, he continues to play competitive tennis, a sport that he has gained his Australian Tennis Coaching qualification.
David Snowden - European Technical Consultant
David joined Floratine Products Group in 2001, developing the European distribution base through technical sales and field agronomy support. Prior to joining Floratine, David spent eight years on the management team for one of the largest sports turf production units in the UK which specialised in the production of golf, stadium & track turf. David has over twenty years experience with man-made and native soils, giving him an excellent understanding of what is required to grow and manage sports turf.
David earned his degree in Crop Science & Estate Management.
Over the past 30 years he has spent most of his time with his face in mud and grass playing Rugby at a high level, and now enjoys supporting turf managers grow strong and healthy grass.
